5 Reasons to Travel with Your Dog This Summer
If you’ve never taken your dog with you on vacation, then I encourage you to try it this summer! Dogs love the outdoors and summer is the best time to take your dog out to the beach, for a hike, or out for a relaxing meal on a patio.
Our mini goldendoodle Kirby, has a blast exploring new places and getting a ton of attention while strolling downtown shops and hiking in his shoes. Having our dog travel with us has become a passion of mine now, so much so that I write about it on my website and try to help others navigate dog friendly travel.
In this post, I’m giving you 5 reasons why you should travel with your dog this summer.
Need ideas on where to go? Check out these Wild Bum Guides and Posts that feature dog friendly travel:
Weekend Getaway to Traverse City, Michigan
3 Dog Friendly Hikes Near Salt Lake City
REASON #1: IT’S THE PERFECT TIME TO TAKE TRIPS CLOSER TO HOME
Although 2020 and 2021 are behind us and travel is slowly getting back to normal, a lot of people are still leaning towards traveling closer to home. Traveling closer to home is a great opportunity to take your dog with you, especially if it is your first time traveling with your dog. You will also be likely driving vs. flying which is better for dog travel.
If it’s your first time taking your dog with you on vacation, I would suggest going somewhere you’ve gone before, or starting out small with a weekend getaway and working your way up to longer road trips.
I recently read an interesting article relaying travel trends in 2021. Overall, people are traveling closer to home, going to more rural places, and spending more time outdoors. All of these are perfect opportunities to travel with your dog.
REASON #2: OUTDOOR DINING IS BECOMING MORE POPULAR
Because of the pandemic, outdoor dining has been steadily getting more popular. With more outdoor dining, there are more restaurants embracing the dog friendly patio. In a recent study by the National Restaurant Association, they observed that… “In September 2021, 65% of restaurant operators said they offered on-premises outdoor dining in a space such as a patio, deck, or sidewalk. That’s up from 57% in April 2021, and roughly on par with the 67% who reported similarly in September 2020.“
Of course, not ALL outdoor patios are dog friendly, so make sure to call the restaurant beforehand to make sure.
If you’ve never gone out to eat with your dog before, check out my dog friendly dining tips. I would also suggest starting small by finding a local dog friendly restaurant to try out before taking your dog with you on vacation.
REASON #3: FORCES YOU TO EMBRACE THE OUTDOORS / BE MORE ACTIVE ON VACATION
Bringing your dog with you on vacation forces you to plan most of your trip outdoors. Spending time outdoors is great for your health and wellbeing. You will also probably be more active on your trip too which is great for your dog and you!
If you aren’t a nature lover, there are still ways to travel with your dog. Walking downtowns, going to outdoor landmarks, outdoor festivals, and national monuments are just a few to name that your dog could enjoy with you.
REASON #4: IMPROVES YOUR DOG’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING
If you’ve never looked up your dog breed’s classification or group. it’s enlightening to understand what your dog’s natural purpose is. For example, up to 13 dog breeds are classified in the “working group” and many of those dogs do not “work”. If you have a dog in the Sporting Group, like a golden or lab retriever, you’ll understand why your dog gets so much joy out of a game of fetch. Overall, understanding your dog’s breed will give you a better understanding of how to cultivate your dog’s potential,
This goes beyond traveling with your dog, but taking your dog on vacation does expose them to new experiences, and new smells, and works their body and brain a lot more than when they are at home in their comfortable environment.
In addition, taking your dog on vacation also requires effort on your part to invest time and energy into training your dog to be well behaved for them to have those opportunities and experiences. A well-trained dog is a happier dog because they get to do a lot more and have a lot more freedom in return.
REASON #5: TRAVEL WITH YOUR DOG CAN BE REWARDING
I realize that not every dog or person may benefit from traveling together, but it is worth giving it a shot at least once. Traveling with our dog has been very rewarding. Not only is it great having your pup with you so you aren’t missing them or paying for boarding, but it’s also a blast to see how much fun your dog has!
Kirby has loved traveling and getting to experience new places, smells, and meeting new people. I can’t really explain the feeling, but seeing him having so much fun, just makes everything better.
Check out these other posts to help you navigate dog friendly travel:
7 Tips on Taking Your Dog on a Roadtrip
Travel Safety With Your Dog: How to Prepare
A version of this blog post was originally posted on aliarosewrites.com.
About the Author:
Alia Rose is the blogger behind Alia Rose Writes which focuses on dog friendly travel in Michigan and the Midwest. She is passionate about finding ways to bring along her mini-goldendoodle, Kirby, on every adventure and helping others do the same.
If you’ve never taken your dog with you on vacation, then I encourage you to try it this summer! Dogs love the outdoors and summer is the best time to take your dog out to the beach, for a hike, or out for a relaxing meal on a patio. Our mini goldendoodle Kirby, has a…